WHY Mk2 is THE BEST TT + 10 TOP TIPS to buy A GOOD ONE 

@24:47 the tiny spider making a home on the back of the rear view mirror is pretty cute.

One of the first things people should check is the rear underside metalwork, chassis. Doesn't come with much rust protection from factory and just bought a 12 year old car myself without checking it and it is rotten. Going to be a subframe off and try and treat all the rust. Never for a minute believed a fairly modern car of this age could be so bad and a reason I myself never checked. Have a look under the rear of the car when viewing to buy and see how bad it is and if it is wild look for another. Believe that there will be many MK2 MOT failures in future if folks don't do some form of preventative treatment such as a spray wax coating such as Bilt Hamber Dynax or Lanogaurd. Wish this had been mentioned in video as I did watch it before buying car last week. Note that the car I got was 1 owner, never had an MOT advisory, full service history , 75k miles and lived nowhere near the sea. Cant believe it. :(

Great video. I’ve owned a MK2 for 18 months and have experienced three of the issues mentioned and was aware of the others through being a member of one of the owners clubs but in this video you’ve covered the essentials in a succinct easy to watch way and hopefully will be invaluable to others wanting to own one of these great cars.

THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP OF ALL. Take a decent scan tool with you and check for current and historic faults. If you find anything that repeats or is currently showing a fault: walk away as it’s probably going to start costing large sums of money to put right. I love my TT but bought it without checking the electronics. It was almost immaculate but when I finally ran an OBDEleven on it, there were dozens of problem DTC codes which are going to cost more that I paid for the car.

I really appreciate you taking the time making this. I am currently looking for a MK2 TT (PFL or FL) and you can get so caught up with the amount of info out there on the forums

As an MK3 owner (pre facelift) I can say that its hard to judge DSG just by how smooth it delivers power. Especially the DQ250 which is notorious for jerky operation at low or "crawl" speeds.

I own a MK2 2 litre manual petrol and absolutely love it!! Owned it 2 years now and everyday I get in it, it is such a pleasure to drive. Unbelievable I only paid £7k for it with 56k miles. She has never ever put a foot wrong in all that time compared to the utterly crap MK1 version I owned before it, that broke every single month virtually - even the rear suspension decided to cave in onto the wheel arches luckily at 30mph and not 70!!! The MK2 feels like a prestigious coupe to drive almost. A long time ago I owned a 996 Turbo and 997 Turbo when I made a lot of money and this little car although not in acceleration terms, but in everything else feels just as special if not better I kid you not. Well worth getting full leather inside as opposed to the suede and get the 18" wheels. It would actually make me feel sad to sell it I have bonded with it that much!!! Well worth adding a Double din head unit conversion, focal's all round and an 8" sub in the boot as I found out Lol

I have my TT for almost 4 years now and still enjoy everytime i drive it. Probably won't be able to drive anything this fun, "cheap" and reliable.

I have the same model 2ltr TFSI Quattro black edition had it 4 years I love it, had the front caliper issue a couple of years ago… The key is service when it needs it never overlook it. I only do about 2-2500 miles a year but she is serviced every year without fail. In the snow like today it really comes into its own….. Totally agree re your comments on the looks compared to the mk3 the only thing I have changed on the interior is upgraded to an apple car play head unit

Yes definitely these are good points. I like the set up of the 2nd gen. But I love the sharpe lines and headlights of the 3rd gen

For some reason these have just recently taken my fancy and also looks like JayEmm has also done a review of them in the last few weeks. These 2.0 S-Line or the TTS models are really well powered it seems and the auto box seems just what you want. Didn't even know they may have AWD until hearing you mention it here. There really is no better person to listen to describing the nuances of VAG group cars than yourself though, so I'm glad to have had this pop in the recommended :)

I have a MK2 3.2 TT manual petrol 2007 and I love it but have to re gas after watching this 😮lol but I can only say wot a joy this car has been and for me I cannot get over how good the body work holds up even though it’s 16 years old it’s still mint , it drives perfectly but have looked after with servicing etc , timing chain still holding true and engine runs lovely. Lowered springs give my 18 inch wheels a mean look and always puts a smile on my face 😊 yes stereo had same problems but upgraded whole system with new amplifier head unit and upgraded speakers and couldn’t be happier. For me this car constantly puts a smile on my face and will keep until I have trouble getting in and out 😂❤

wtf is that 5 door yellow monstrosity !? posting it now = great way to increase the value of the current ones haha 👏

Sir your review was amazing and thank you for putting so much effort into making it! I just got my 3.2 vr6 mk2 last summer and I still can't believe how great this car is

Thank you for this, even if I don't end up buying a TT. You truly care about the integrity of the information you share. Cheers, mate! 🙂👍

I have the mk3 TTS and I'm so happy with it, zero issues I also track it sometimes and service it very often, so far the best purchase in my life I love it❤

Great video! 👏💪👍👌 Interested in a TT some day. Probably a mk2, definitely NOT a mk1, so this was very helpful. Just subscribed. We currently have a Scirocco MY2013, do you have experience with those and can compare the differences between TT and Scirocco?

love my quattro,diesel really good ime on around 43 mpg upwards,i had the earth wire done for £90,thats only hassle i had so far,its cheap to insure which i couldnt believe especially 0-60 in 7.2 sec,always starts first turn looks awesome drives awesome best car ive had,ps.closest ile ever get to a r8 lol

Completely agree. Great video. I had the Mk2 TDI Quattro, I fixed all the issues you mentioned and it was a great car. I p/x'd mine for a Golf GTD Mk7 as the family grew, the TDI TT was a lot more economical. I will buy another in the future. 👍.

brilliant video and what an education. I picked up a 3.2 v6 manual last year, early 8j which I absolutely love, totally engaging, super quick and a joy to drive (sounds good also) is there anything I should look out for?

Gained a sub here, great video! Slightly bias, as I've had my 11' TT (almost exact spec as yours, Blk Ed S line Auto Quattro etc) for nye on 3 years.

I'm German/American, and have owned every Audi model. Keep your checkbook handy, you will need it for repairs and parts! I finally decided to purchase a Lexus LC500 convertible. For dependability and reliability!

Informative video! Currently have a mk 1 since 2008 as a second car. May upgrade to mk2 if need be. Thanks

Great channel,perfect for the Volkers.What about the 1.8 tfsi?It is really so oil thirsty? I drive a Golf mk6 1.4 tsi and i'm very satisfied BUT the tt mk2.... always in my mind.

I bought one for £6k a year ago with 98k miles. Done 5k miles in it. ('08 PFL) Work I've done: oil change, replaced cam follower (precaution), installed A6 washer jets, replaced a split vacuum pipe (caused fuel bank error codes), installed additional earths for rear lights (this was cheap and easy to do via ttforum). Some annoying things: - I had the common steering wheel judder at 80mph, had the wheels balanced and new rear tyres fitted, still got it. Will be checking top mount bushes next. - Do not attach a phone holder to the air vents, they will break and cost £20 odd each to replace - The floor mats unclip all the time. You can use zip ties to help, but they still come undone - My driver's door handle stopped working. Would have to open the passenger door and climb through to unlock it. I meddled with it a bit and its been ok recently - The ergonomics aren't great - my knee/leg occasionally gets in the way when I'm turning the steering wheel around a tight corner. However, the flat bottom steering wheel makes getting out easier! - The doors are a nightmare when getting in/out of, especially when parked in between cars. Very heavy. - Topping the oil up - but what used performance cars don't require this? - Quite a harsh ride (though mine has done 100k+ now) Overall I'm quite happy with it. I could have negotiated the price but I didn't bother. The power you get for the money and the reasonably modern looks are hard to be beaten. That's coming from an M140i and before that an FN2 Type R. However I've decided it's too low down and small for me and I'm only 6'2 - I want to get an 8P S3 for more room and a bit more power but they'll all have been ragged to oblivion compared to these. Great video, quite informative!

Had the mk1 1.8 225 so much fun but mk2 vr6 has a lot more features Good video

I am about to buy a MK2 , glad I found your channel ,great information

Absolutely spot on advises. Gone through some of the mentioned issues 👌🏾

Going to view a 2010 Audi TT TDI Quattro SE , tomorrow , great advice but made me think again re poss future expenditure , the car has 35k on the clock backed up with Annual services from new , being mainly oil and filter services , additional items that can cause concern that you didn't mention are the DPF and EGR ....A great car if all is working as should ....having major second thoughts now lol .

I had three gen one tt’s 225 coupe’s over a number of years. The cam belt and water pump are obvious weak points. Other than that, I liked them, they still look good now. I now drive a 987 Boxster, the most stable, planted, safest driving experience yet. I’ve owned a number of different sports cars, the only one that sticks to the road like glue more than the Porsche was the lotus exige, but with British roads my back was in bits after a few months! So the Porsche is hands down the best overall driving experience. Your vid is very instructive but I must say it would also put me off buying any of them now. You make them sound like there’s a part failure waiting to happen!!

So much good information by ten minutes in that we clicked subscribe. Enough said.

Very nice video , it’s there a particular mark 2 year recommendation.! I am giving serious thought on getting one !.

I love it! Just wanted the "eye lids", look of the mk3! The more aggressive sporty look.

Was considering one of these for a second car for weekend fun as prices are coming down are they reliable or have any common issues to worry about ?

what are your thoughts on the radio it seems a bit limited doesnt have bluetooth to stream music? are you planning to replace it?

Got a 2004 986 Porsche Boxster S now instead, better to drive and the sound is so much nicer than any TT(minus the TTRS)

Well done Andrew and I completely agree having been in a series 2 and 3 I much prefer the series 2 in many ways it seems a far better built car and if I had the money who knows! I cannot believe Audi are replacing the TT with that.. Great video as ever and I look forward to the next one Daniel

Dear Audi this video is a timely reminder of how good your interiors used to be. I ❤️ TTs Had a Mk 1 (design classic) but Mk 2 is the biz. Great vid.

Good tips. I would also add that the rear suspension arms on the mk2 can rust

Hi Volkswizard, first of all great video and very informative. I have loved all shapes of the TT over the years but do like the the look of the MK3 the most. Only thing is you have scared me off the manual and I like a manual shift in a sports car. I was hoping to buy a petrol front wheel 2.0T FSI and hoping the clutch would last a bit longer than the higher powered versions of the MK3. In terms of the known thermostat and water pump issues it seems a lot of MK3's have had the specific upgrade to this known problem. I would be looking out for this when buying or budgeting it in on price. But yea you have depressed me over the clutch, maybe a better upgrade out there for it also. Do you know if all mK3 TT's manual models were having early clutch failure?

Great video always great to listen to someone who knows all the essential stuff before buying. Advise needed please , I have found what potentially could be a good car ? Mk2 tdi Quattro 62 plate BUT have noticed on when I went to view that the battery recess has water ( not a lot but it’s there) sitting in the bottom and quite a lot of condensation on the battery?? Is this normal? A/C doesn’t work so that needs sorting? Any other advice? Thanks

I have a 2010 TTS with the facelift. My gearbox blew up in warranty (and the replacement was much smoother), my sparks were faulty out of the factory, my rear diff has blown up (I blame a "specialist" garage - I strongly believe they drained the diff during a haldex service), my N80 / evap canister has been replaced, the PCV has been replaced, but other than that she's still sound at 164k miles 😄 Pretty much the only thing that lets one of these down which is in good working order in my opinion is the tech, but it's easy enough to upgrade the head unit and swap the cabin bulbs for canbus friendly LEDs to make it feel fresh. Oh, my glovebox has the broken plastic bit so it flaps open though. Curious design choice, I will find a way to repair it and make it more robust.

the mark 2 can leak in the boot which is a massive pain to fix, now on a mk3 tts, mark 2 had thicker heavier doors and a bigger sill, better vents which were directional, preferred the gauges over the VC. tts has a better gearbox, engine etc, but hand on heart the mark 2 was a better car

Loving the spider , I’ve got one in my scirocco r , cool lil dude 😂

Best review of the Audi TT I've ever seen. Spot on! Well done sir - subscribed

A well presented video. But, unless someone else has mentioned it, I think a 'big' watch out is the EA888 gen 2 engine with the earlier cam chain tensioner. Mine failed, causing a lot of expensive damage. I was lucky that Audi offered some goodwill as it has full Audi service history. I think the car may have been written off without that gesture.

I owned 2 MK2 TT(S), but today I would be a customer of an MK3 because of the MQB chassis

I test drove a 2010 TT RS today with 95k on the clock. It slipped it's rear wheel on rapid starts, off the line. Traction control was on throughout. I'm wondering if the cause was the Haldex system ? It did feel otherwise good to drive. What do you think?

My wife had a 2009 Mk2 TT Tdi on 70k miles and the high pressure fuel pump self destructed, causing severe damage to the engine and fuel system. Garage quotes of between £3-5k were given. Sold the car as spares or repairs. Not a good experience. She had a 2003 MK1 TT 225 BAM prior to this, with no issues. Mk1 is the the nicer car to me, looks more interesting on the road too.

I’m currently looking now not sure if to get the diesel or petrol? which is the better engine? I about 100 miles short trips to work on b roads

Planning to get a MK2 for my 40th 👍

Hi Great video, what year model is your TT? Still new to the preowned world so not sure which years pre facelift ect. What year model do you recommend , I was looking to buy a 2009 model…any thoughts?

Brilliant video. Thanks for taking the time.

There is something strange going on in Australia! I am currently looking at a 2010 quattro, MY10 with engine code CCZA, which as far as I can tell is a gen 2 E888. But according to your video this is way too early .. even the facelift in 2011 according to you is a gen 1. Do you know if Audi did weird things in some of their markets?

Had to sell my MKII to get the way more beautiful and original to concept MKI.

What a great video this is. I’ve owned a MkII in Condor Grey since new, rarely used really, 35k on the clock, and I had been considering chopping it in for a MKIII, although the styling both inside and out does jar with me, more so after driving one at my local Audi. I think I will keep hold of her now as I believe the MKII could well be on its way to being a financially appreciating classic. Only problem, I’m running out of garage space having a 1969 Stingray as my classic I’ve owned for 28 years. I think I’ll stop collecting cars now, full house. 👍

@volkswizad. I’m looking at two Audi tts need some help both 2013 plates and both 1.8 litre both in decent condition. One has 85k miles at £7k and one has 38k miles at 9k which one ? Both from dealers and both mark 2

I run a facelifted TT 2.0tdi as a second car. The Quattro system gives that surefooted feel in the wet. Fuel consumption and low down torque as its a diesel make it a better option than the petrol versions in my opinion. The car is totally standard and is comfortable with the 17” alloy wheels. Its a decent relatively practical car that still looks fresh even though its a 2010 model.

I really enjoy your videos. You come off extremely likeable so I'm happy the issues with the microphones/ sound has been resolved. Carry on!

Thanks for posting , super good information 👍

Great and comprehensive video, thank you 👌🏾

That spider 🕷️ was so funny 😂

Great summary I bought a Mk2 2012 TTS manual version earlier this year with 63000 miles. Had a haldex issue which the dealer fixed FOC under a 3 month warranty. I have spent £1000 on a full service and cambelt change, and bought a second hand rear subframe assembly as an insurance against rust. Have treated everything with LANOLIN as a further insurance. I intend to keep it for a long time as I think its the best all round sports car out there. With British roads ,potholes, cyclists etc any more power doesn't make sense. I also have a RSQ3 2015 automatic which is surprisingly comfortable given the 20" wheels. I can throw my bike in the back of both and head for the national parks. Keep the videos coming as we all appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I would like to see more people appreciating what they have and looking after it.

Did you remove the Spider ? @24:02 onwards.

Hello, thank you for this video !! I believe my has issue 4 with the thermosta. How much would you think this would cost to fix ?

Great video mate. I own a TTRS Mk2, it’s the best car I’ve had. I love everything about it. The sound of the 5 cylinder engine sounds fantastic. I owned a TT black edition sline before it and it never missed a beat in the 5 year I had it

Fascinating video - very helpful

Agree Mark 2 is the best looking with the best interior. Don't agree with your classification of the pre face lift engine having all these problems. There were early high oil usage issues on some motors with most of those now resolved as there were early issues with cam chain tensioner on the face lift (your model) car. I would say reliability and performance of the pre facelift is just as good as post face lift all other circumstances being equal. Also the face lift EA888 engine has many more plastic parts and is also a Golf motor (just a later model) - both facelift and pre facelift, are Golf motors with minor differences and different mapping. The pre face lift motor (with beefed up pistons etc) is also the one they used in the pre and facelift TTS performance models (not the EA888) so again a good reliable motor capable of significant performance modifications.

Great review. I am looking to get one as my next car. Many thanks

Looks are a matter of taste. I like the interior a lot more of the mk3. It s really clean. I also dont like big screens in a sportscar. Diesels don t belong in a sportscar. It s all about emotion with these kind of cars. Most petrol engine s are worst in the later tt s. Not only because of the timing. Also the problem of the pistonrings. You can have the six or five cilinder. I will take the ttrs mk3🎉

Great Video, as I can relate with me purchasing my weekend and sunny day Daytona Grey MK2 S Line 2.0TFSI DSG Facelift Quattro with 143k now, and remapped 0-60 in 4.1sec which I've done just over 5k in 14mths and it is definitely giving me smiles per miles 😂😂😂👍🏾

He'd be a useful guy to have around when buying a used car. Does he rate the Roadster I ask myself?

Thank you for a very complete review 👍

Great info as i have been looking to change my current car for a mk3. May look at late mk2s now. Thank you

Good tips for any prospective TT owner. It's not "me", but your "buying tips" videos are excellent, if I ever decide to get a Mk 5 R32, I'll dig out the Mk5 buying guide you did a good while ago!

Hard to find in Oz as not a huge seller here but under appreciated as it’s a great car and very tempting - 2015 Quattro 2 litre seems like a good buy here with most options standard here like climate AC - great video 😊

Brilliant review had a tt s a couple of years ago. Looked great but sold it after 2 weeks! You live and learn

Great intel thanks for sharing 👍

I wasn’t disappointed by the mk2 facelift, I personally think the original sills and bumpers are timeless and suit the car much better, they look cleaner and much in keeping. Just because something is newer, doesn’t mean it’ll look better. Just look at the original MG MGB bumpers compared to the following facelifts with ugly black plastic bulbous ones.

Compre uno hace algo mas de 1 año y estoy muy contento con el

so tt or tts ? i've started doing the research.... Looking for something that I can OEM+ with some bolt ons. I always look for cars that are a good base for Potential mods... Will be used for daily and autoX

Great video Andrew. I've had a mk3 for a few months now. 2.0 petrol S-line quattro is economical but great to drive. Coming from a Megane RS Cup I'd say it has plenty of performance for today's typically busy roads, but is also refined and build quality is very solid. Each to their own, but the minimalist cabin design is much better than the stuck-on iPad approach seen in many cars over the past 5 years or so. Interested in your views on whether the mk3 might be less prone to issues than the mk2?

What about replacing rear sway bar with a stiffer one?

Hi Andrew good synopsis on the MK2. Have had 3 mk1's .last one a V6 man. lovely car only reason I got rid of it was the fear of timing chain stretching and the cost involved in replacement. Never gave the MK2 a thought really sought have done the TT thing. But watching your guide wish I had now dipped my foot in the market. liked your overall view of the MK2 but what I thought was ' The elephant in the room' is the MK2 TTRS any views and thoughts on this?

There's also a common issue with rear shelf, the side mounts break.

Is the spider still alive , noticed it comng down from the mirror.

Looking at a 62 plate 2.0 TDI Quattro with 91k miles, full service history and timing belt and water pump change. Your advice excepted, is this too high miles?

Top tip for mk2 is get a xtrons 9 inch screen octa core android head unit, works with bose or standard speaker setup and the sound is excellent, 10 times better than the crappy RNS E and only the mk2 can have this upgrade

what would you add if we are talking about a used 2009 TT RS (mk2 8J) with 6000miles?

Is the second gen a better car overall than the Gen one?

MK2 FAN but who doesn’t love MK3 design in and out sheeeeesh still love it !!! But MK2 is GOAT TTs

Some car models represent outstanding value the mk 2 TT, is one such example as is the Audi A2 you have featured. I am increasingly drawn to cars with aluminium structures and fine leather upholstery so the TT you have is spot on. The sound system has an aux connection to run a cable to a modern phone. I think we over complicate life and look for excuses to spend big bucks on marginal gains. We are now at a time where there is some fantastic engineering available at rediculusly low prices if only people could get away from the marketing rubbish which puts labels on cars to distort opinion. I look at some only cars and wonder why there was any demand for them

Great video 👍 I love my mk2 TT (2.0 manual, FWD) but I've had to fix a lot of the issues you've mentioned (thermostat, rear light earth issues, glovebox). Those relatively minor issues aside, it has been great to own so far. I have a private plate on it and people are shocked that it's a 2007 model because it still looks and feels so fresh. They really are such great value cars, especially when compared to equivalent Mk5/6 Golf GTIs and the R32 which are closely related yet now seem to go for more, despite being cheaper when new.

I need to know more about buying a 2011, 88k on the clock, main thing probably timing chain. What am I asking the seller?

Brake calipers seizing up seems to be an Audi thing. I had a 2002 A6 over 15 years ago, and the rear calipers seized shortly after I bought it. Luckily, it was under warrantee.

How much leg room in the driver's seat?

Great video 👌 Brought a MK2 TT few months back, had most the problems mentioned in your video 🙄 Air con was the high pressure valve(G65), repaired glovebox hinge with plastic weld and mild steel straps to support it and a new damper still fine months later 👌

I used to strongly dislike TTs when I was younger and they were all the rage but I've grown to really like them. Great, one of a kind motors.

Had a tts 2011 convertible for a while and what a car to drive, with nearly 300bhp is put a smile on your face and the auto box made some boom when changing gear, I do prefer a stick tho

How do I get the foil to protect the Bose amp